


night shift

by bevcrushers (dothraloki)



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Friendship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 10:20:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11311368
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dothraloki/pseuds/bevcrushers
Summary: He likes the quiet hum of the machines and the steady beeping of the consoles. He likes the way his mind slips from stray, everyday, trivial thoughts to the single minded focus of computers and problem solving. But perhaps most all he loves the night shift.





	night shift

For all Geordi complains about the constant workload, and the high expectations of the Captain; he loves working in Engineering.

It's where he'd meant to be – he knows it, as sure as he knows his name is Geordi LaForge. He likes the quiet hum of the machines and the steady beeping of the consoles. He likes the way his mind slips from stray, everyday, trivial thoughts to the single minded focus of computers and problem solving. But perhaps most all he loves the night shift.

It's not something he gets to do as much as he'd like to – being chief engineer means he has to up and about during the day when the Captain’s on the bridge, when there's places to explore, when they're charting new stars, or planets or civilisations. Of course he likes that part of the job too, he simply wouldn't be on a starship if he didn't, and definitely not a Galaxy class one at that – but something understated about the night shift. When Engineering is nearly empty, when half the ship is asleep, when they're just coursing through space.

During times like this he thinks about how lucky he is to do what he does – it fills him with a quiet joy, a strong pull of belonging, and he knows – he knows just like that, that he would never, ever be satisfied anywhere else. The Enterprise is his blood.

But perhaps most of all, Geordi particularly enjoys the night shift because Data's here with him. It generally doesn't happen all that often but he supposes it's probably a good a thing because on nights like these -  with Data at his elbow, content to work in silence aside from the occasional comment, or quip or question -  it remains a kind of novelty. It's something he looks forward to, not in a particularly overstated way but it's a kind of quiet satisfaction that settles in his stomach and sits there until his shift is through. On the days that he works the night shift in Engineering with Data, the pull of belonging only strengthens. 

“Geordi?” Data's voice is calm, measured accurately in a way that's not meant to startle or surprise Geordi but simply draw him out of his reverie. 

“Yeah Data?” 

“Is there something wrong?” 

Geordi glances up at him, eyebrow cocked in question. “I don't think so, why?” 

“You have been looking at that console for approximately two minutes, thirty-nine seconds.” 

Geordi grins at him and continues inputting the data into the programme. “Sorry, my mind wandered.” 

Data makes a quiet noise of understanding. “You do not need to apologise, but may I ask you what was on your mind, so to speak?” 

“I was just thinking about how much I like this – the night shift. You know, I don't get to do it a whole lot.” 

Data looks thoughtful. “Is there something significant about the night shift?” 

“I just like it,” Geordi shrugs. “It's not so busy and with the sound of the computers – I tell you, I've fallen asleep in here on more than one occasion.” 

“I know,” says Data. “As I have often been the one to wake you before duty.” Geordi laughs, easy and a comfortable silence follows as he continues diligently working the programme. 

Then Data says, “Is it not unstimulating to work long hours, especially in such a quiet or even solitary environment?” 

“You mean boring?” Geordi considers it. “Well not so much. Sometimes I like to have the place to myself. And if not, well," he grins. "You're good company Data.” 

Data blinks at him, and then the corner of this mouth quirks into a small smile. “The feeling, as you say, is entirely mutual.”

 

 


End file.
